Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-08-20


when some one knocked on the door.
Walk in. " said Hettie, as she opened
it, and handsome young man of %
entered 'AIr. Somers. this is my cousin,
Mr.. Newton, of New York, who is Wis
iting us" Mr.. Newton cordially grasped
Harry by the hand and appeared de-
lighted to see him. After conversing
for sometime upon various subjects,
Mr.. Newton said, @AIr. SOmers, by read
with Cousin Hates information, dis
covered you are an authori Have you
cultivated your talent much?"
"Only for my own amusement, " mod
estly replied Harry. 81 have dozens of
stories at home that I wrote at odd times
merely because 1 had no other way Of
passing the time"
"No one who does not possess con
siderable literary talent would care to
pass away the time by such 1aborious
amusement as story writing. Excuse
me for being so inquisitive. You have
a fair education have you not, Mr.. Som
ers?"
"Only a common-sehool education,
sir. I attended school until was 10,
when my father died and had to leave
school and 60 to work to earn a living
for my widowed mother who died two
years ago. Fathers greatest wish was
to give me a collegiate education, and
had he lived I would have attended
school one or two more years.
II am very much interested in you,
Mr.. Somers. Cousin Kate has told me
how affairs are between you and cousin
Hettie, and if for no other reason Z
would be interested in you for Cousin
Hettie's sake. You think that you are
not financially able to marry until you
are earning a salary of $50 week. I
leave In tho morning for home, and if
you viii write me a short story equal in
literary merit to either of those in cousin
Hette's scrap-book, and forward it to
me any time next week I viii pay
you s25 for it, and viii pay you the
same each week for a good short story.
Here is my card by which you can see
where to direct your letters"
II know not how to thank you for
your kindly interest, Mr.. Newton, "
said Harry; "but I assure you there is
no one who would appreciate it more
than 1 do. 1 am afraid that viii dis
appoint you; I hope not, though, for
had rather earn my living by writing
than by any other means"
"YOu viii succeed, Mr.. Somers, you
viii succeed; have no fear of that, for
your soul is in your work. I must ask
one favor Of you though. I do not
wish you and Hettie to wait ten months
before marrying, but would like for
you to wait at least four or five months,
for by that time you will have estab-
lished some literary fame not much to
be sure, but q foothold at least. If
you were to marry now you could not
give your time to your literary labors
as you should on the start. have not
been as affectonate and as attentive to
Cousin Kate as I should have been, even
for a second cousin, and L intend to
make amends in the future by running
down here once a week and seeing how
you all are getting along; and while
here will be happy to render you any
assistance I can"
Harry again heartily thanked Mr..
Newton for his kindness. Pretty little
blue-eyed, fair haired Hettie said not a
word, but the tear Of JOY that silently
fell on her cheek told palmer than
words that her heart was Overlooking
with gratitude.
The following week Harry received
the paper containing the story, and he
also receiveda letter containingla check
for $50. He was the happiest man
in the world. Hehad never thought OF
being known beyond the confines OF
his native county; but now, as con
| tributor of one of the leading New
York literary papers, he saw in the
/ future his articles copied extensively,
and himself honOred. and respected as
a great literary genius. True to his
| promise, Mr.. Newton came regularly
! Saturday evening and remained until
Monday morning. One Sunday even
| ing, two months after his first visit to
! Mrs. Wheeler, as he, Hettie, and hel
mother were seated around the fire in
/ the sitting-rOOm, he said:
cousin Hettie, how would you like
to strengthen our relationship"
"Splenddly, Cousin Frank But how
can that be done?"
well, you see, Cousin Hettie, while
you and Harry have been billing and
cooling, Cousin Kate and I have not
been altogether idle. 1 love her de.
votedly, and she assures me that my
affections are reciprOcated, and she ha,
promised to be my wife. How would
you like me for a father, Hettie?"
Better than any man in the world
Cousin Frank. Allow me to congratu
late you and mamma and to wish yoU
much happiness" she said, with
/ pretty little laugh. Il must confess
| though, that you have taken me com
pletely by surprise, she continued. q
never thought that your weekly visits
were prompted by anything more thar
cousinly affection"
you and Harry could have mar.
ried long ago, said Mr.. Newton, "but
requested Harry to wait few months
because I thought that I might gain
Cousin Hates affections and we would
have a double wedding"
"So we can. cried Hettie, slappine
her hands with delight. at had no
/ thought of that
Preparations were made for the we'd
] ding. and two months later the merry